Ohio University officially suspended Delta Tau Delta yesterday, months after the city and university charged the fraternity with hazing its pledges.
Pledges told Athens and OU police that they were slapped and forced to drink large quantities of alcohol at a Nov. 12 fraternity event.
Delta Tau Delta appealed the five-year suspension Monday to Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith, who upheld the ruling.
I am sure it is not what they hoped for
Smith said. I feel like the sanction was appropriate under the circumstances.
A judge fined Delta Tau Delta $2,000 and ordered it to pay no more than $10,000 in restitution to two pledges on Jan. 22 after the fraternity pleaded no contest to the city's hazing charges. The same day, OU suspended the fraternity for the first time, but Delta Tau Delta appealed the decision on the grounds of new evidence, an improper sanction and an error during the original hearing. Both Smith and an appeals board upheld the punishment.
Smith, who makes the final decision in all OU judicial appeals, said he believed the punishment was warranted given the actions of the fraternity members and past rulings on hazing.
The suspension forces fraternity members with fewer than 90 credit hours to move from the house into a dorm.
Members must move into the dorm by Feb. 19, Smith said. However, other aspects of the suspension took effect immediately.
The suspension requires the fraternity to remove the Greek letters from its house and prohibits Delta Tau Delta from recruiting any new members, hosting chapter-related events at the fraternity house or participating in the Interfraternity Council for five years, according to a letter from Smith to fraternity President Paul Kolbe.
The national chapter placed similar restraints on the fraternity in November, but it is unknown whether or not the national chapter will impose an additional punishment.
Delta Tau Delta can apply for reinstatement as an OU organization in fall 2013, according to the letter.
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Caitlin Bowling
